Secret
by vigilantism
Summary: "Just...go to sleep, then. I'm sure wherever you were is entirely worth getting expelled for." "I...I wouldn't go that far." Implied Harry/Draco.


Harry made sure no one was looking before he removed the invisibility cloak. It was late, and he knew if anyone saw him he'd have more explaining to do than he'd like. Secrets had been a part of life at Hogwarts since the first year, and they seemed to get more dangerous every time he found one out. Really, though, this one...

Harry sighed. He folded up the cloak and put it in his trunk, cringing at the squeak of the hinges as it closed. He looked over to Ron's bed, frozen there for a minute. Finally, convinced Ron was asleep, he crawled under the covers and closed his eyes, hoping to get a couple sweet hours of sleep before breakfast.

From the other bed, Ron opened one eye and made a face at Harry's turned back. He was hurt that his supposed best friend wasn't telling him what was going on. It was certainly like Harry to go sneaking off to god-knows-where in the middle of the night, but it _wasn't_ like him to not mention anything to Ron.

The next morning, after Quiddich practice, Draco stopped Harry on the way to class.

"Well done, Potter. You actually managed to stay on your broom!" he said. A snicker came from his ever-present crowd of flunkies. Harry rolled his eyes.

"More than I can say for _you_ , Malfoy," Harry said. "Tell me, how much _do_ you like the taste of dirt? I mean, you must _really_ enjoy it, judging by how many times I saw you face down on the ground yesterday during Slytherin's practice."

Draco puffed himself up and sort of sputtered, unable to think of a really good insult before Harry stormed past, breaking through the crowd and heading off to class.

Ron caught up with him after giving Draco a nasty look. "Why do you put up with that? Shouldn't you just...I don't know."

"What do you want me to do, Ron? Hex him? Even if Snape wouldn't find out, his father would. And I can only _imagine_ what would happen _then_."

Ron just gave Harry a dissatisfied glance and walked ahead of him.

Harry shook his head, not knowing what could have put Ron in such a foul mood.

That night, after he was sure everyone asleep, Harry dug out the invisibility cloak again and wandered off toward the Slytherin common room. Only the ghosts were in the hallways, so there was even less risk of being found out. He knew he was risking a lot, but part of him thrilled at getting away with it, just as he always had.

He shut the door behind him as quietly as he could. He felt a hand grab him through the darkness, even with the cloak on, and his heart stopped.

"It's about damn time, Potter! I was going to give up on you and go to bed."

"Malfoy!"

The hand on Harry's arm released, and he was finally able to focus his eyes enough in the darkness to make out Draco's form, just to his right. He pulled the cloak down enough so his head was showing, and he glared at Draco from behind his glasses.

"You're going to get us caught, I _know_ it!" he hissed.

"Shut up and open that thing up more" Draco replied, fumbling in the darkness to find the opening of the cloak.

Harry was still glaring at him, but he moved his arms, opening them and the cloak and letting Draco step closer to him.

" _You're_ the loud one," Draco whispered, pulling the cloak closed around both of them and leaning as close as he could to Harry without actually kissing him, "so if we get in trouble, it's going to be _entirely_ your fault."

"Oh, don't even sta—"

Draco was kissing him before he could even finish the sentence.

It was almost light out by the time Harry made his way back into the Gryffindoor dorms again. This time, Ron was fully awake and waiting for him.

Harry saw him there and froze. He knew Ron couldn't see him, but he couldn't stay invisible for the rest of his life. And besides, he was tired, and an hour or two of sleep sure wouldn't hurt him. He decided the best way to deal with it was to just let Ron have his say and then go to sleep. No use hiding forever.

He slid the cloak down, dropping it from his shoulders and appearing in the room in front of his friend.

"Where the bloody hell have you been!?" Ron demanded, unfazed after this long by the sight of Harry appearing out of thin air.

"It...it doesn't matter," Harry said, realizing that he had no plan for what he was going to tell Ron.

"It _does_ matter! What if MacGonagal found out? What if _Snape_ found out? Do you want to be expelled, Harry?"

"I'm not going to be expelled. Will you just calm down"

"No! No I will not _just calm down_! This is the third night in a row you've been missing from your bed!"

"It's nothing important, Ron, I promise!"

"Nothing important, Harry!? I'm your bloody best friend and your secrets aren't _important_ all of a sudden!?"

"I..."

Ron finally turned away. "Just...go to sleep, then. I'm sure wherever you were is entirely worth getting expelled for."

"I...I wouldn't go _that_ far," Harry said under his breath.


End file.
